Sunday, April 26, 2015

The Druid and the Drowess

Jaekob Faolan: The Druid rubs his temples as he begins to gather the things he will need for a journey to the dark caverns. He straps his bow and quiver onto his back, a leg dagger on his right leg and pulls his rucksack over his head to let it fall down to his side. He fingers the daggers, the silver dagger he had for decades, the one the Gypsy had lost and later found.

Jaekob Faolan: As he passes through the castle, moving ever downward. He nods to each servant in turn, a bit of a smile. He dismisses each elven guard with a wave of his hand as if to tell them not to follow.

Jaekob Faolan: Once in Calenhad proper, he looks around, smiles at the elves busy at their work, the children playing in the courtyard. A small girl runs to him breathless, holding out a flower and he kneels down to take it. "Thank you, my dear. This is a treasure," he says tucking the flower in his long flowing hair and ruffling her hair with a hand.

Jaekob Faolan: "Rains bless you," the child says to him mimicking his own small blessing to others.

Jaekob Faolan: "And you, little one," he says with a bit of a smile curling onto his lips. He moves toward the gate to the elven city and passes through, inhaling a deep breath as he makes his way down the mountain, through the narrow passes toward the dark caverns

Jaekob Faolan: As he nears the entrance to the caverns, he pauses and mumbles to himself, *Rains and storms, bless us all. For surely, we are in a time of need." And he slips into the caverns, his fingers playing at the handle of the dagger, ever alert and wary of the possibility of coming upon the Demon.

Jaekob Faolan moves slowly, deliberately; each step takes him deeper and higher toward the Demon's Lair. "Nothing... no one," he mutters to himself somewhat relieved.

Arianna Shadowdew walks in the darkness as quiet as the mist itself. She's preoccupied with her plans to destroy the Druid King. Her blood red eyes adept at seeing in the darkness scan every corner and crevice without effort. Her movements graceful and purposeful she moves like a serpent through the halls. Her ears perk up and her body stills as she hears a sound.

Jaekob Faolan: Power pressed in on him as he neared the layer. He licked his dry lips stopping in the huge cavern, a mist laying silent on the stones.

Arianna Shadowdew's eyes narrow and she sniffs the air. She picks up the scent of an elf. She makes her way stealthily through the caverns taking great care not to make a sound. She rounds a corner and while hiding behind a pillar she spots HIM. Her target has come to her. A wicked smile forms on her lips. She watches silently to see the boy grown to a man she has been plotting against for so long.

Jaekob Faolan blinks, once, twice, trying to adjust his sight to the darkness. He wiggles his fingers a bit as he speaks to the elements, "Light my way, I implore you. Help me to see in this forsaken place," And as he mumbles a quiet thank you the cavern lightens just enough to see the walls and the mist that lays gentle on the ground. He moves further inward, his fingers tightening around his dagger as the hairs on his body seem to prickle and dance in warning.

Arianna Shadowdew's face twists in a look of contempt for the Druid and his light. She narrows her eyes once more, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light he conjured. She follows him quietly observing him to ascertain his reason for being in her caverns.

Jaekob Faolan stops at the center of the big cavern and kneels, placing his hand palm down onto the cold stone. His lips twists as pain sears up through his fingers and through his hand and up his arm. The elements aid him further, provide the information he sought. The Demon had been here and recently.... but....there was...something else he could not fathom. He bit his lip hard and rose to walk deeper inward.

Arianna Shadowdew's sees him get closer to their lair and decides to move in. It was time for the moment she'd been dreaming of for so long. She move out from the shadows quietly until she is standing a few paces from him in the darkness. Her voice like the hiss of a snake, raspy, low, but smooth, "Vendui Jaekob"

Jaekob Faolan startles at the familiar voice and turns slowly to face her. His features are drawn and pale as he blinks to focus on her and bits of the past begin to twist and take shape in his mind as he remembers his beginning.

Jaekob Faolan: "YOU!" he finally exclaims. "You are behind THIS!"

Arianna Shadowdew's normally non-expressive face takes on a wicked smile, making her cold, hard features seem more menacing rather than friendly. She paces a bit as a predator stalking their prey. "Aye, ME. I was wondering if you would ever be smart enough to see my hand in this."

Jaekob Faolan  stares at her as a terrible tension builds inside him, his eyes haunted with fear that was raw and uncontrolled. The Demon he was prepared for, but not HER.

Jaekob Faolan closes the distance, "Wha..what are you doing in my lands?"

Arianna Shadowdew's eyes scan his face, his body....pleased to see his body tense in her presence. She pauses for a moment considering her answer carefully before speaking. Her face once again expressionless, like a cold statue, her blood-red eyes, framed by her dark lashes seem to be filled with darkness. In a low growl-like voice, she answers him. "Rectifying past wrongs, my dear Jaekob. Rebuilding the honor of my family."

Jaekob Faolan: "You have no right to be here," he growls as he slowly regains reason and control. "Father would never allow this," he growls.

Arianna Shadowdew a wicked laugh escapes her lips, the echos of it bouncing off the walls around them. She paces a bit, her hands on her hips, one over her sword's hilt. "A yes, my BROTHER. Well he's not here to protect you now, is he? He won't be able to come to your aid ever again." she speaks in a sarcastic tone.

Jaekob Faolan bites his lip hard, his hand clenching and unclenching into fists, *WHAT do you mean? What have you done to him?"

Arianna Shadowdew stops moving her eyes now fixed upon his. She's waited for this moment too long now, and wants to relish the exquisite pain she will cause him. A dark smile forms upon her lips before she speaks, ever so clearly and slowly as she savors the taste of the evil pain they will inflict. "I made my brother pay for bringing dishonor to our family name. I took his life, not in a fit of range.....oh no. I took my time with him, ever so slowly. " pauses for a moment, "Though I will give him credit, he never did beg for mercy."

Jaekob Faolan lets out a scream that seems to fill the cavern, stifle it as it bounces from wall to wall, "Nooooooo," and without a thought, his hand slides his dagger from his sheath and lifting it high in the  air, prepared to strike her dead, he advances.

Arianna Shadowdew's seeing his reaction pleases her greatly. Her countless years of warrior experience serves her well, as she knows his emotions will cloud his mind. Without much effort she glides turning gracefully away from his attack, moving behind him in the blink of an eye, while pulling her sword. For a split second she considers running him through, but decides a quick ending for him is NOT what she wants. In that instant she uses the hilt of her sword and strikes at the back of his head with all the force she possesses. She watches his body go limp and fall to the ground.

Arianna Shadowdew moves in close to him, she crouches beside him and whispers in his ear. "Not like this. Not YET. I will enjoy making you suffer."

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